Madison times. (Tallulah, Madison Parish, La.) 1884-1???, 1887-12-31
Main GoodSeII'S Angels.
BY AGNES POTTER MAGER.


The drcary prospect of Il country
road. stretching desolately around
hillside, with deep ruts frozen in
the mud. and scraggy trees outlining |
its sinuous windngs, seemed to have |
great attractions for lad standing at /
one of the windows of the pOor-house. |
He had watched the country wagon"
out of sight, and was looking longingly |
at the place where a bend in the road |
had hidden it from view.
A vague desire to get away from the
place began to grow in Jerry's heart
when ho saw big Jake crack his long
whip over the back of the pat ent
mules, as they started down the road.
and now the memory of trip to town
the summer before comes back to him,
temptingly, alluYingy.
This had been the one bright spot in
The childs pitifnl existence. He had
felt as proud of the vehicle. with its
dingy lettering on the side. Poor
Farm" as any prince might feel of his
| coach, and when Jake had allowed
Jerry to hold the whip. and to try with
his puny strength to crack it, thrill
of intense delight coursed through him.
Poor Jerrv's life had been so starved
| of Joy and sunSh ne.
| How pretty the streets Of the town
looked that day with the June sunlight
spilling its golden vine over velvety
lawns, and vine embowered houses; and
the children PLAYING among the cOlored
| flowers, made Jerry think of the angles
Mann Goodsell was so fond of talking
about She was an aged inmate, who
had, in her doting way. shown the boy
almost the only kindness he had ever
known.
Jerry knew that the wagon was
bound for tha: beautiful place again,
and oh! if Jake had only taken him
along, how happy the ch Id would have
been. How many, many times had he
stood at this very window looking wist-
fully down the road since that happy
day, wishing Ch! so eagerly, that Jake
would ask him TO 90 and, each time the
hoarse rumble of the wheels was
smothered in the distance, the tears of
heart hungry despair cOurSed down
,Jerry's wan cleeks This time he re-
called the sensation of delighted impor-
tance, when he held the reins while
Jake went into store, ami how delici-
Gus the stick of candy tasted-all pink
and white-which Jake gave him when
he returned. Many curse, and even
blows, had been Jerry's portion from
this man since. but this one kindly
action made Jake one faithful friend.
This is the only home the boy has
ever known, and standing there. he
| looked the embod ment OF pathos.
There was a hungry. pleading look in
his eyes, such rs is only seen in those
| of an unloved child or homeless dog.
His hands thrust INTO the pockets of Z
ragged coat. PLAYED nervously with two
diminutive red apples-h share of the
Christmas treat dOled out that morning
Jerry had looked mt AMI smet them
numberless times, but tn something
of the instinct with VIII ch 4 miseI
boards gold. had returned them to hi
pockets. They were so pretty IN
could not bring himself to eat then
just yet.
The temptation to run away coul'
not withstood any longer, and. will
the desire 10 see once more the beautl
fu picture he carried in his mind. th'
Ind turned from the window and noise
lessly hurried out of the building. jus
as the gate closed behnd him shril
voice arrested his footsteps:
Jerry, you oung rascal, where arr
you going?
The eager Eight died out of bis eyes
IS and the flush on his iace was succeeded
g by deatbly pallor. He stopped an in
N slant. irresolutely, and then despera
a, ton lending keenness to his wits. shout
ed back:
Jake forgot somethin, and t mas
er's sent me after him, and not wal
RS ing for reply, sped quickly down tn
le road
n He did not heed the wind cuttin;
like knife through his thin garments
but clutching the precious apples tigh
re ly, he ran on and on. until the Ia
'n chimney of the or my building was 10;
if 10 view. An eXhilaration totally ne
in to Jerry courscd through his veins. an
=, the glad sense of Icing free sent Il jc
=. to his heart never before known. /
eu did not think of the consequences
lie his action, he only knew that SOM
to where in the valley lay the wOnderf
e, place where everyone seemed so hapl
=, and the children played among Il
- flowers; that this road led there W
81 enough for him.
nd Jerry carried the June-time memo
en- In his heart, aud to him it seemed tn
ed all must be as he had seen it, \
he thought of the fell change that Decor
u. ber's icv fingers had wrought. enter
his mind.
In One. two and three miles, and n la
re the I,'opeful little spirit became le
Icc bouyan,. and the brave, expecta
III light died t of The old. young fat
n. The appIes we're very cold now in
w N,ila 6Ius bands, and his leet we're
- ~ eaAlag With fatigue